Types Of Skilled Nursing Therapy

Skilled nursing is care provided by licensed nursing staff such as registered nurses, practical nurses, vocational nurses, and speech pathologists. The treatment involves short-term nursing care and long-term rehabilitation for injuries, illnesses, chronic health conditions, and other disabilities. This article discusses the different types of skilled nursing therapies. 

Physical Therapy 

Physical therapy aims at improving movement functionality after illness or injury. The therapy assists patients to restore strength, stability, balance, and movement. The therapists work with the patient to develop a treatment plan for short-term nursing care or long-term rehabilitation. The treatment approach may include guided exercises and stretching. Also, skilled nursing practitioners can ease muscle pain and spasm using massages or cold or warm water therapy. Physical therapy benefits patients suffering from cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, neurological, and pediatric conditions or sports injuries. 

Occupational Therapy

The objective of occupational therapy is to restore the ability to perform day-to-day activities. Typically, the therapist assists you in order to enhance your motor skills and regain balance to become more independent. Also, skilled nursing practitioners help you use adaptive equipment to boost your functional ability. This way, the patient can better adapt to their social and physical environment and complete tasks such as dressing, bathing, and feeding on their own. 

Cognitive Therapy 

Cognitive therapy helps patients enhance their memory, reasoning, and thinking abilities. Essentially, the psychotherapeutic treatment uses the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) technique. CBT aims to help patients identify their destructive or disturbing thought patterns and how they affect their feelings and behaviors. Patients can then replace the flawed thoughts with objective and realistic ones. The skilled nursing therapy approach manages mental illness and conditions like depression, anxiety, dementia, and autism. 

Speech Therapy 

Patients suffering from communication and swallowing difficulties can benefit from speech therapy. For instance, stroke patients may have speaking problems. The skilled nursing staff may assist such patients in overcoming articulation and fluency problems by helping them improve the pitch, volume, and tone of speech. Also, the practitioners can support the patient and help them learn how to communicate using nonverbal gestures, cues, and signals.  

Respiratory Therapy

Patients with breathing disorders or difficulties require respiratory therapy. Such breathing problems may result from conditions like asthma, acute respiratory distress syndrome, bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The therapist will support the patient to breathe better by maintaining your airwaves open and reducing respiratory anxiety. Besides, the specialist also educates on using breathing aids like inhalers and supplemental oxygen. 

Vocational Therapy 

Vocational therapy supports patients recovering from injuries and illnesses to return to their work routines. The therapists first determine the client's work abilities in relation to vocational requirements. Then the caregivers help individuals overcome vocational problems by training them in new skills and proficiencies using behavioral techniques. Such training may include mental, social, communicative, personality and job-related skills. Vocational skilled nursing therapy can also support people with disabilities find fulfilling careers.

Ultimately, skilled nursing therapy support patients to manage pain, regain physical function, and maintain independence. Contact a skilled nursing therapy facility and experience how the different therapies can improve your quality of life. 


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